Arduous
by macrauchenia
Summary: No matter the pain or shock, he refused to drop his weapon. Too many people were relying on him. Around the noble's hulking form, he caught a glimpse of Guren, wide-eyed and pale, yet still within the sights of his rifle. Struggling to speak around a mouthful of crimson, Shinya gagged out a single word. "Bang." - [An AU of the Nagoya Raid, where Shinya and Guren are on their own]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Everything belongs to its rightful owners.

 **Warnings and Important Information:** Some adult language (this is partially Guren-centric fic, after all). This is an AU that takes place during the Nagoya raid, primarily the encounter between Crowley and Shinya and Guren. Kind of like a "what if Yuu and the others were late and Shinya had a badass move up his sleeve" fic.

 **Author's Note:** Okay, real talk. Where the heck is Shinya after that finale?! Anyway, this is an AU idea I had after listening to M83's "I'm Sending You Away," which I think has just one of the most heartbreaking titles if you really think about it. It's my first OnS fic, so I'm sorry for any OOC or weirdness. This is mainly just an exploration of an idea I had and probably won't go any further.

* * *

The first time it happened, he nearly missed it.

He tried to rationalize it later. Maybe it had been a glint from the sun. Maybe he had just forgotten the street lamp's original position. Upon later reflection and careful observation, Shinya realized that the little cowardly archer, as Guren affectionately dubbed him, had actively moved debris through his demon.

The notion itself was hardly novel. After all, he had seen Guren slice through entire buildings using Mahiru's stolen power. However, Shinya compared the mindless, thoughtless destruction of Yuu and Kimizuki to Yoichi's careful manipulation and realized that the latter—to some subconscious extent—must have pushed aside obstacles with his demon. His suspicions were confirmed while tagging along with Guren to observe one of their missions.

Shinya's eyes had landed first on the pile of Horsemen guts before roaming across the rubble in search of the trash bin that had been blocking the shot before Yoichi fired. Once the smoke cleared, Shinya noticed it sitting unharmed a few meters away, almost as if it had been delicately moved. The piled Styrofoam cups and wrappers remained safe in their precarious perches.

Shinya was impressed. A wisp of air slipped through his lips in a shrill, lilting whistle. Guren, always willing to brag about his pseudo-children, tried unsuccessfully to hide his smirk. He assumed Shinya's little sound had been about the sheer magnitude of their destruction, not the delicate counterpart.

"Not bad, huh?"

Shinya made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. Already his mind buzzed with the questions he wanted to ask Yoichi, about the possibilities this new idea spawned.

"Thank you for inviting me along, Guren."

"Eh?" With the chance to brag seemingly over, Guren reverted back to his gruff self. "I _didn't_ invite you. You just showed up."

Shinya smiled brightly, his hand cupping the back of his neck. "Well, isn't that a coincidence then?"

"Damn coincidences," Guren managed to mutter before being drowned out by Shinya's laugh and Yuu's incoherent shouting.

* * *

As soon as Guren released them from their mission and the tired squad trudged back towards base, Shinya quickly swooped in and claimed Yoichi.

"For a long-distance conversation," he explained.

Guren didn't argue, but his suspicious stare followed the two as they veered off from the main group, almost as if he feared Shinya would corrupt one of his kids.

 _They really are his kids, aren't they?_ Shinya mused, partially amused, partially wary.

When he felt they were close enough out of earshot, Shinya cleared his throat.

However, Yoichi beat him to starting the conversation, oozing equal shares of pride and self-consciousness as he fretted and puffed about his progress.

"Did that last shot look alright? I think I got the angle wrong but it still killed it. Can you tell—That's why you came along, right? To tell me where to impro—"

"Yoichi-kun!" Shinya raised his hands in front of him, suppressing a laugh at his eagerness. "Guren didn't force me to come. I came because I was curious about something you did."

"Something I did?" Worry leaked into his voice. His eyes glistened slightly, almost as if he were priming himself for accusation.

"Don't worry," Shinya quickly added. "You didn't do anything wrong, I promise. I just had a quick question to ask, but I…" He flicked his gaze over to Guren. Although Guren looked as if he was consumed with mediating a petty argument between Yuu and Kimizuki, Shinya knew he probably was keeping one ear glued to their conversation. He slowed his steps, falling behind the group even more.

 _I don't want him to know about it yet. He might try to stop me._

"Let me start over. I think you've just figured out something really important, but I don't want to get Guren's hopes up until we test it out a little more."

 _That_ caught Yoichi's attention. His mouth parted while his dark brows knotted in confusion. "I don't think I've done anything different though? I just tell Gekkōin where and when to shoot?"

"Can you remember back to the very last Horseman you killed? The one right back there?" Shinya gestured over his shoulder with a stray finger.

"Uh… Yes?"

"Well, there was a trash bin in the path. Instead of just destroying it, your demon seemed to have _pushed_ it out of the way." Shinya stopped, forcing Yoichi to do the same. He nodded his head towards the carnage, maintaining his same sincere, reassuring smile.

"Oh," Yoichi's gaze landed on the undamaged trash bin as he considered it. "I didn't really think about it that much. Gekkōin probably deserves the credit more than me. We had talked about it one night after our first mission against vampires, how destroying something like that would take up more energy that simply sliding it away." Yoichi scratched at his cheek, deep in thought. "I don't know exactly how Gekkōin did it, but it just happened. Sorry I couldn't be more help," Yoichi apologized with another embarrassed smile.

"Don't worry about it, Yoichi-kun," Shinya flashed him a warm grin to soothe his worries. "That was _more_ than enough help. I suppose we just have to test our theories out."

Yoichi's nervous gaze jumped to Guren and then back to Shinya. "But we still shouldn't say anything to the Lieutenant Colonel?" Shinya could see Yoichi visibly comparing his rank with Guren's, calculating who could punish him more severely.

"Mmm, yeah. I think that would be best," Shinya drawled slowly, studying the back of Guren's head as the dark hair disappeared around a dilapidated building.

"It'll be a nice surprise."

* * *

"Oi! Shinya! Didn't you hear me? Slow the hell down!"

Shinya turned quickly, caught off-guard by the loud voice behind him. At the sight of his panting follower, he stopped with a pleased smile flickering across his lips.

Guren slowed to a more relaxed stroll and tried to steady his breathing. He didn't look particularly enthused, but Shinya knew that meant Guren was truly desperate if he was seeking him out.

"Breathless, Guren? I'm a bit flattered. Usually _I'm_ the one trying to track you down in the hallways."

"I wouldn't be so damn out of breath if you stopped the first time I called your name."

"Oops. Must not have heard you. Accident, I swear."

"Accident, my ass."

"Well, if memory serves me right, you've managed to "accidentally" miss _my_ calls even when I'm standing right next to you."

Guren scowled and muttered something that sounded vaguely like _those weren't accidents either_.

"Anyway, what's so monumentally, indescribably horrible that caused you to chase after me like a lovelorn schoolgirl?"

"I wasn't _chasing_ you _._ And wipe that damn grin off your face!"

"Hmm?"

"I…haven't seen you around lately." Guren's response was simultaneously grumbled and gritted.

"And now you miss me?" Shinya couldn't hold back the slight shake of his shoulders anymore. "I didn't kno—"

"Shut up! That's not what I meant!" Guren snapped, rolling his eyes. "I'm afraid of what you come up with when you disappear like that."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The raid at Osaka?"

There was a beat of silence, then: "Ah… Well, there's no need to be worried."

"When you say stuff like that, I _know_ I have to worry."

Shinya offered a wide smile and tugged at the end of his sleeves with an exaggerated gesture. "Nothing up there."

Guren hardly looked convinced, but he shrugged and scoffed nonetheless, turning away from him.

"Whatever." Obviously unable to pull more information from Shinya, Guren flapped his wrist dismissively and started walking in the opposite direction. Shinya watched him go, partly amused, partly bemused.

Halfway down the hall, Guren glanced over his shoulder, flicking his eyebrows up in thinly veiled amusement. "The brats have their last practice before the Nagoya mission next week. If you promise to keep your mouth shut, you can tag along."

"Woaah? An invitation too? Someone must _really_ be lonely. Thanks, but I'll be, ah, conducting my own practice instead." Shinya gave him another overly friendly wave before turning away.

As he moved down the hall, his military boots echoing in the silent corridor, he could still feel Guren's somber, searching stare following him.

* * *

After countless hours, panting and sweating under the hot midday sun, Shinya felt that he finally grasped the idea he had been chasing for weeks.

Resting his rifle against his shoulder, he wobbled—slightly delirious from the dual strain of excessive possessions and the heat—towards the decoy sitting several meters from its original spot. He bent forward, inspecting the slightly scuffed paint across the crudely drawn face and chest buckles. Apart from a deeper chip across the manikin's shoulder, it looked largely intact.

Shinya straightened up with a satisfied groan, pressing a gloved hand to his aching back. He scanned over the manikin again, searching for any major deformities, such as a broken neck or missing limbs. Finding none, he nodded again and allowed a pleased, yet weary smile to rise across his lips.

 _A little bruised and ruffled, but still alive, I hope._

He glanced from the manikin's original spot to its new location. It still wasn't far—hardly more than the length of a room.

 _There's still more to do if I want to make this work._

Shinya sighed a soft, tired little sigh. Although the possibilities from the new technique were tantalizing and numerous, it had taken a significant strain on his endurance as well as his ability to contain Byakkomaru. Several times throughout the past training session, his demon had trickled out of control faster than he could rein it back in, creating an explosive power that demolished the target.

His eyes shifted to the charred, fragmented pieces of rubble to the side.

Yes… Regardless of the strain, he needed to continue to practice, especially since their mission to Nagoya began the next day. Everything needed to be perfect before they faced the nobles.

For all of their sakes.

* * *

Despite the harsh welcome, Shinya knew that Guren appreciated his presence on the mission. He could see it in the softened wrinkles around Guren's eyes and the way he would always glance behind him after each command to make sure the Major General agreed with his decisions.

He could also see that Guren was relieved that Shinoa's squad was present as well. The signs were obvious: the offhanded ruffling of Yuu's hair, the backhanded counter-compliments to Shinoa, and the mumbled reassuring for Yoichi, which was likely meant for all of them. However, the anxiety and self-loathing were present as well, almost as if Guren felt guilty for dragging inexperienced kids to a suicide mission.

Guren himself probably didn't realize the depth of his conflicting, selfless emotions, but Shinya could see them plainly written across his face in his actions. After all, they had known each other for a long time.

While Guren was briefing them on their mission, Shinya distracted himself from the heavy, repetitive speech (Guren had already presented the mission parameters to him twice before; he had claimed it wasn't a big deal and Shinya need not come, but they both knew it was Guren's poorly veiled attempt to entice him into showing) to observe the newest Black Demon prodigies.

After spending years training to pick out the minutest detail hundreds of meters away, learning to read his other allies, especially those as open as Yuu and Yoichi, became similarly easy.

Yoichi seemed predictably nervous, his eyes flicking from the members of his squad to Guren. His knuckles gleamed white as his shaking death grip around his bow tightened. _Of course he would be afraid of losing them. They—well, Guren too—gave him a new life and purpose._

His gaze traveled to Shinoa, listening intently with an expression devoid of her usual humor. Despite their jabs and jeers, Shinoa and Guren relied upon one another, striving to survive as the outliers in the neatly ordered Hiiragi tool set.

 _She's going to protect her family no matter what, so that means she won't—no,_ can't _—let anything happen to him either._

Mitsuba and Kimizuki were more stoic, harder to gauge than the others, but Shinya managed to piece them together. Like the others, Guren had given them a new purpose and a new family. They couldn't lose that—or him. The thought was sobering, yet simultaneously relieving. It made all those hours of practice seem worth it, if only for preparing for the direst of desperations.

As expected, Yuu was the easiest to read, though his confident expression rattled Shinya the most. While the others forced neutral expressions or barely concealed their rampant nerves, Yuu slouched comfortably, watching Guren with an untroubled half-smile. To him, the notion of tragedy striking their little family was impossible, inconceivable.

 _Guren and the others mean so much to him, so he refuses to consider the possibility of losing them._

His gaze landed back on Guren, wrapping up his speech with a decisive hand motion.

 _They rely on each other, like a family._ The thought made him a bit wistful; the Hiiragis didn't provide the warmest of upbringings. _I suppose it's easy to be as selfless as him with such a powerful motivator._

* * *

In a mere seven seconds, everything went to hell.

It was more than just a few blinks of an eye that turned the tables. Vampires had the edge on them; their influence and power spanned centuries and surpassed nature's furthest limits. Shinya supposed it was foolish and vain for humans to ever really hope to win. How can one compete with something born from the fires of hell?

In those seven seconds, as he and Guren were limping down the deserted corridor as fast as they could, Shinya gripping the wound in his chest tightly, almost as if he could manually stifle the pain, he wondered if they ever really had a chance from the start.

Guren, _typical_ _Guren_ , was trying to remain optimistic, but Shinya could feel the rapid pounding of his friend's heart through his torn glove, his arm wrapped around Guren's shoulder for support. He tried to smile, fighting through the crimson and the pain, and kept making snide little comments at their opponents' expense.

However, in just another agonizing second, Shinya found himself skidding across the floor while Guren struggled to keep the noble's blade away from them. Shinya frantically scrambled to an upright position, fumbling and cursing as he reached for his gun. Too much time had passed already; he couldn't afford to waste anymore.

Just as his bloodied fingers brushed against the stock of the rifle, Shinya heard Guren's pained cry. His gaze jerked up to see the tip of the noble's sword jutting out of Guren's shoulder blade.

 _"Guren!"_

Without a hint of hesitation, Shinya lifted up his rifle, ignoring the fiery protests from his pulsing chest. The noble was preoccupied, smirking and gloating about capturing them for information. Shinya ignored him, clearing his mind of any conflicting thoughts that could ruin his complicated command.

"Leave me! Go take command and continue the mission!"

Guren's pain laced voice broke through Shinya's concentration, causing his aim on the rifle to waver. Although he expected Guren to order something so ridiculously, predictably self-sacrificing, hearing the words still hurt.

As intended, Guren's words interested the noble, drawing any sort of attention from Shinya. His crimson eyes alighted on Guren, appraising him like a piece of fine livestock.

 _Dammit, Guren. He's not going to give you up now._

 _Not unless…. Not unless he has a better incentive._

He swallowed thickly. It seemed as if he had found a suitable motivator.

 _I'm sorry, Guren._

Shinya forced a laugh and a smile, despite the deadened concentration in his stony gaze. "What do you mean by _take_ command?" The noble swung his gaze back to Shinya, blinking curiously. He wondered if the noble had already forgotten about his presence in the mere moments he had stayed silent. "I've always been _in command_."

Guren's expression jumped from shock to frustration. "Shut the hell up and get out of here! Now!" Shinya avoided his glare; he didn't have to look to know how furious Guren was. "Go now, you damn idiot!"

"That's no way to talk to your superior…"

"Shinya! I swear if you don't shut the fu—"

"Shhh, shh…" the noble interrupted, rapping Guren on the shoulder with the blunt end of his sword. "Are you trying to play a trick on me, you silly humans?" He tilted his head, glancing from Guren to Shinya.

"He's lying! I'm in command of this mission!" Guren shouted, his voice rising with each exclamation. The noble swiveled his wide, amused stare back to Guren. Taking the vampire's distraction as a chance to move, Shinya grunted softly as he forced himself into a standing position. At least he wasn't on the ground anymore. He tightened his trembling fingers around Byakkomaru's grip and looped his index finger in the trigger guard.

"You're just a lowly lieutenant!"

 _Well, that's half of his rank._

The noble narrowed his eyes, searching Shinya's face for any hint of deception. Guren's uniform was far more decorated than the average "lieutenant." He hoped the vampire was largely ignorant of human military practices. Shinya kept his face steady and devoid of fear, thankful for his years of practice for his 'family.'" The noble's accomplices had arrived by this point, much to Shinya's chagrin, but they seemed equally confused by the humans' nonsensical, asinine shouting in such an inappropriate moment.

"You weren't even supposed to be on this mission!"

If the circumstances has been different, Shinya would have laughed at how ridiculous their quarrel sounded. The rank bickering wasn't far from what they might have done on a typical day, but the purpose behind each shouted assertion made everything different, darker. Guren was probably fighting for a distraction, counting down the seconds until something salvageable happened.

Shinya was just trying to auction off his life at a price high enough to exchange for Guren's.

He supposed they had argued enough to make the nobles uncertain about their prisoner. Now it was time to play the ultimate trump card.

"Do you think that matters to a Hiiragi?"

At the drop of the name, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Shinya felt something heavy plummet in his chest; it was strange to call himself one, as if he were finally ready to accept the sins of the name. Likewise, Guren's shoulders slackened and his fury faded into weary resignation.

Even if the vampires didn't fully understand the Imperial Army's ranking system, they still understood the name of their enemy.

The noble's crimson eyebrow flicked upwards in surprise as he eyed Shinya with a new appreciation, almost as if his prize goldfish had been cashed in for a shark.

"Hmm…" the noble mused, scratching absently at his chin as he surveyed the two disheveled humans in front of him. "Humans truly are stupid if they've sent me an incompetent commander _and_ a loudmouth Hiiragi. Maybe they sent you away because they couldn't handle your nagging, but I find it quite amusing." He smiled brightly at them.

The pit deepened in Shinya's stomach. Despite their childish shouting and arguing, it seemed as if Guren still held some value to the vampires, even if it was more for humor than strategic value. Instead of letting one of them go as before, the noble was now interested in capturing both of them.

Guren swiveled his head back towards Shinya, a frustrated snarl rising on his face. Although Guren remained silent, Shinya could hear his scathing words. _See? Look what you've done. Now we're both fucked!_

 _Well, only one of us will be,_ Shinya countered grimly. His index finger inched further up on the trigger, twitching from anticipation and nerves. He only had one chance now. They were no longer running practice drills.

Without another word, Shinya extended his elbow and lifted his rifle, aiming the center of his scope at the noble's chest. His blue haired companion moved forward with bared teeth, physically ready to rip Shinya's arm off if necessary. However, the noble casually raised his hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"It's fine, Chess." He tilted his head, watching Shinya with the same amused smile from before. "Humans are so predictable. You keep glancing out that window. Do you really think you can shoot me so easily and then escape?"

Shinya snapped his gaze from the window back to the noble.

"Not quite."

"Eh?"

Shinya flicked his gaze back towards Guren, absorbing each detail of his face like a deep inhale before drowning. For once, Guren didn't seem to be in perfect control of his emotions. His brows were knit in confusion, while his pursed lips betrayed his anger at Shinya for deviating so far from the plan.

"I'm not aiming for _you._ "

Guren's eyes widened in shock and betrayal as he remembered the first, fatal proposition for their mission. _The sniper's burden,_ Shinya echoed cryptically. His reaction made sense to Shinya. From an objective position, it certainly seemed like death was the better option for both their sakes and the mission.

After another beat of silence, filled with Shinya silently rehearsing the command one final time in his mind, the noble deciphered Shinya's ambiguous words with a startled frown.

Shinya swung the rifle from the noble to Guren and steadied his trembling hand. His finger tightened around the trigger.

"Nuh uhh!" The noble clicked his tongue disappointedly, lunging to stop him before his killed one of his prisoners.

"Shinya!"

Something glinted in Shinya's periphery and with a startled gasp he felt a cold sharpness tear into his gut. His knees buckled and he shuddered, nearly toppling over. However, no matter the pain and shock, he refused to drop his weapon. Too many people were relying on him.

Around the noble's hulking form, he caught just a glimpse of Guren, wide-eyed and pale, yet still within the sights of his rifle, though he was trying to climb to his feet.

 _Too late. I'm sending you away._

Struggling to speak around a mouthful of crimson iron, Shinya gagged out a single word.

 _"Bang."_

* * *

 _Damn him! Damn him! Damn him!_

He had things perfectly under control (well, as perfect as being at the mercy of sadistic, sarcastic vampires who wanted to interrogate him in any way possible could be) until Shinya managed to singlehandedly ruin everything.

 _What the hell was he thinking? Why couldn't he keep his fucking mouth shut for once?!_

For a moment, it seemed as if Shinya had a plan. Or at least, Guren _hoped_ he had one, otherwise he couldn't see the point of the idiot running his mouth about rank and importance unless there was a purpose behind it. However, when their argument devolved into nothing more than both of them digging their graves deeper and deeper ( _why did he have to mention those damn Hiiragis?),_ Guren realized that there was no plan in the end.

 _You idiot! They were going to let you go! Why didn't you run when you had the chance?_

Unable to do much else other than bleed and spew profanity, Guren steeled himself for the inevitable moment when everything completely spiraled out of control. He tried not to wince at Shinya's painfully obvious looks out the window.

 _The situation is desperate, yes, but_ really _?_

However, in an instant, Shinya's murmured words changed everything. He tried not to be offended by the sniper's blunt decision; after all, it was only the requirement of the job. Still, it hurt knowing that Shinya was willing to kill him so quickly after he had fought so hard to save his sorry ass.

When the noble stabbed Shinya, Guren shoved the thoughts away and reached for his sword. His fingertips barely brushed against the cool steel before a burst of bluish white light enveloped him accompanied by the sound of roars.

 _This is it. The end._ He waited with bated breath for the final strike, when Shinya's demon completely and irrevocably consumed him.

Time grounded to a stop and his loud heartbeats seemed to span minutes instead of seconds. However, instead of snuffing him out, the tigers curled around him like a protective mantle. Through the hazy glow of their translucent skin, he could see the vampires' startled, gape mouthed expressions and Shinya's satisfied smile, weak and weary.

 _Wha—_

He opened his mouth to shout, to scream for an answer, but the frozen seconds finally caught up to him in a whirlwind of growls and warmth. The tigers charged, dragging him along in a bundled, spiraling heap, crashing through windows and tumbling down stairwells. Although he knew he should have felt pain, very little broke through the demon's cocoon, including sights and sounds from the outside world.

 _Wait… Shinya's still inside._

Guren struggled in the demon's grasp to break free, but when his fidgeting became too distracting, the largest of the tigers delicately grabbed him in its steel-trap jaw. Although the entire nightmare was only a few seconds at most, Guren felt as if he were trapped in the claustrophobic shell for much longer.

At last, the main tiger faltered and dissolved in a shimmer of blue light, releasing Guren with a mournful whimper. He tumbled to the hard ground, rolling several times across the uneven concrete until his momentum died. Guren kept a hand clamped to his shoulder wound as he pulled himself to his knees and sat back on his ankles. His limbs were shaking, but he wasn't sure why. He sucked in a painful breath through his teeth as he readjusted his position.

 _What…just happened?_

He swallowed and glanced around at his new surroundings, belatedly realizing he was outside of the town hall. His ears were still ringing from Shinya's shot.

 _Shiny—_

"Guren!"

He slowly turned his head, squinting at the looming pair of Yuus. He squeezed his eyes, wincing at the sharp prick at the base of his skull. Slowly, the spinning world slowed to a more manageable tilt.

"Guuuren!" Yuu was the first to his side, tugging and prodding his sore body. Guren wanted to swat him away, but he was too exhausted to move, let alone shove the brat away. The remaining members of his and Shinoa's squad circled around the pair, their expressions a multitude of relief, shock, and confusion. Immediately, Goshi dipped his shoulder, offering his squad leader help to his feet.

"How'd you get out here?"

"Are you hurt?"

"What happened?"

"Did you kill the nobles?"

"Where's Shinya-san?"

Guren took a steadying breath and curled his stained fingers into trembling fists. He relished the sensation of his fingernails biting into his skin, using the pain to sharpen his mind. He cleared his throat and the chaotic questions trickled into silence.

 _I'm sorry, Shinya._

"The vampires have him," he announced, ending the subject with a firm slash of his hand. "We have to move now before they return. The attempt to eradicate the nobles was a failure, but we still have a chance to rendezvous with the others at the airport. Let's go!"

With a grunt, Guren shuffled forward. He kept his gaze fixed on the road in front of him, refusing to look at his pitying comrades or the demolished remains of the fourth floor window high about him.

 _So that's what you've been planning all this time._

 _(Damn bastard.)_

* * *

After the violent intensity of the rifle shot and the demonic whirlwind, the stifling silence that followed felt just as jarring. Completely spent by the intensive manifestation of Byakkomaru, Shinya sank to his knees, barely supporting his trembling body with his propped elbows. Although his eyes watered from his throbbing wounds and the afterglow of the bright lights, he forced himself to keep them open.

He wanted to see the rage on his enemies' faces.

However, instead of seeming angry or even mildly disappointed, the noble simply looked thoughtful as he surveyed the spot Guren had occupied only seconds earlier.

"Hmm… That _was_ unexpected," he mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Shinya tried to sneer, but the expression came out more like a pained grimace.

"It's a pity that he's gone," he continued, his distracted stare traveling to the broken window. "He probably _was_ the commander to deserve such special party tricks." His crimson gaze landed on Shinya. "But the question remains—are you really a Hiiragi?"

Shinya let a humorless smile stretch across his lips, his ivory teeth flecked with crimson.

"Only the one that no one wants."

He expected it to hurt a lot more when he rehearsed it in his mind, but saying the words felt oddly liberating. He wasn't like Guren—people didn't depend on him like they needed Guren. Some might miss him, but his absence wouldn't be enough to prompt Kureto into action. He didn't even _know_ enough to be worthy of rescuing.

In a way, he supposed this was the best way. Guren would miss him maybe—if he even survived being bundled away by Byakkomaru, that is. Shinya dropped his head to hide his bright eyes as he pictured Guren, bruised and sore, cursing his name for the "bumpy ride" that saved his life.

The noble made a dismissive sound in the back of his throat as he approached Shinya's huddled form. He gently grasped Shinya's collar and hoisted him in the air as nonchalantly as if he were inspecting a new jacket. Shinya's boots barely scraped the slick floor.

"Tsk," he murmured, tilting his head as his crimson gaze ran over Shinya's glittering uniform. "I can think of several people who might want you."

It wasn't exactly reassuring.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!** I hope you enjoyed! I'm not sure if I'm going to write a second chapter, but I'll let you guys decide. Happy New Year!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Not a thing.

 **Author's Note:** Oh, man. I really don't know where I'm going with this, so I apologize if it's not as exciting as the first chapter. There will definitely be more action no matter what I do with this.

Also, in this story, pretend that Mahiru hasn't taken over Guren (yet), so he doesn't try to be captured. Although Guren knows Ferid and about the Seraph Project, he didn't plan to team up with the vampires in this story. If you have any questions, please ask.

* * *

" _Mmmm!_ " One of the vampires slipped off the table with a huffy sigh. Shinya heard a tiny _click_ as her heels hit the cool tile. He pried his eyes open, keeping them cracked just enough to see the edge of his surroundings. Maybe if the vampires thought he had fallen unconscious, they would let slip extra secrets.

He didn't know why it really mattered. He wasn't planning on a daring escape, so any juicy secrets or political intrigue would be lost on his soon-to-be-bloodless corpse once the vampires were through with him.

"Lord _Crow_ ley _!"_

The leader glanced up distractedly, tearing his crimson gaze from Shinya's discarded weapon.

 _So…_ this _must be_ _the Crowley Eusford that Guren's informer warned us of. They were right—he's a strong noble._

Shinya swallowed slowly, trying to keep the panic from clogging his parched throat. _No, there won't be much of a chance to slip away._

"Yes, Chess?"

"No one's coming back for the human. We've waited long enough." She tilted her head and pouted at their leader. "Can't we go now?"

Shinya kept his breathing soft and steady, keeping a trembling hand pressed to the wound in his abdomen. Although the vampires had renewed interest in him after Guren's explosive "disappearing act," once the mystery and flames dissipated, Crowley had tossed him aside like a ragdoll. They wanted him as a prisoner, though they seemed not to care about whether he lived or not.

 _Typical bloodsuckers,_ Shinya tried to force some humor in his thoughts, but it fell flat. _The only creatures in the world drawn to blood—well, pardoning mosquitos—and they ignore the fact that I'm bleeding to death on their new tile floor._

He wasn't sure how long he laid there while Crowley inspected Byakkomaru, prodding at the weapons with a tentative finger, careful not to activate any hidden traps.

 _If…if I could just move a bit closer—I could deactivate the manifestation spell and tuck Byakkomaru back into my sleeve. At least then they wouldn't have the chance to dissect him._

Crowley gave a disappointed little hum before straightening up, brushing ineffectively at the blood flecks staining his uniform.

"I suppose you were right, little human." Shinya opened his eyes fully, figuring his game of pretend was over. "The rest of your herd abandoned you."

"Aha, I told you so," he gritted. His voice came out embarrassingly hoarse, but he supposed it was better than a sob. "I'm the unimportant Hiiragi, remember?"

He loathed the small voice in the back of his head that wished for Guren and the others to find him. _That's being selfish. You know Guren won't risk the life of all his soldiers for me._

"Aww, that's not fair. You know some very important things." His crimson eyes landed on Byakkomaru, still glowing a faint green. Shinya's fingers twitched. He wanted to drag himself across the slick tile and grab his weapon. Even in his bloodied, exhausted state, he could it hard to suppress the urge to continue fighting.

He could do so much if he let Byakkomaru take con—

Shinya blinked, struggling to keep his dimming gaze focused on Crowley's dark boots. He was losing strength quickly; even at their separation, Byakkomaru was still able to taint his consciousness and humanity.

 _No… I'm not desperate enough to let Byakko-chan take control. At least… not yet._

"You know how this works."

Shinya's eyes flicked back to Byakkomaru.

"No, not really. It's not like…it came with instructions other than…point and fire."

"Yet you could still create some sort of construct to carry your commander away from us?"

Crowley nudged the rifle towards Shinya, causing it to skitter across the tile. It was still out of grabbing difference; he would have to lunge if he wanted to grab Byakkomaru. Crowley smiled at the sight of Shinya's frustrated scowl.

 _He probably just wants another reason to stab me again._

"I think you know a bit more than you let on. Livestock shouldn't lie to their keepers."

Shinya shifted his gaze from the noble's smirk to the unreadable expressions of his two followers hovering behind him. He couldn't do much, surrounded by three capable vampires, but he could still take a few secrets to the grave. He tightened his pursed lips, doing all he could to show off his defiance.

Crowley sighed before shaking his head and turning away. He knew when it became pointless to interrogate suicidal loyalists.

"I don't think we'll get much more out of this Hiiragi sheep."

The blue haired vampire lurched forward— _Chess, I think he called her?—_ with a gaping smile. "So, we don't need him anymore?" Her pearly fangs glinted in the dying sunlight.

Crowley glanced over his shoulder, pinning Shinya with a contemplative frown before shaking his head.

"No, not yet. We'll take him to Ferid." His hand rose to prod gingerly at a crimson slash on the back of his neck. Shinya's eyebrows flicked upwards in surprise—he never realized that Guren had managed to nick him during their fight.

"Besides, I have something I need to _ask_ him about."

He gestured towards the blonde vampire, who bent down and hoisted Shinya's prone form into the air without a sign of strain.

The sudden shift in position was too much and Shinya felt the world tip in a rush of darkness.

…

For once in his life, Guren finally had some goddamn silence and he hated every crushing second of it.

It was silent when Guren announced his decision to move on without Shinya. No one questioned him; no one cried out, determined to rescue their fallen comrade. To them, Shinya, while a power soldier, was still just a single man.

(Guren even waited for a little bit longer, because if no one else broke the silence, he was afraid _he_ would.)

It was silent as Sayuri dressed his wounds, pressing against his hot flesh with her tiny, trembling fingers, keeping her gaze lowered. It was silent as she kept her lips pressed shut, devoid of her clumsy comments.

It was silent as they took shelter in an abandoned warehouse. They huddled around their tiny fires as each soldier morosely stared at the flames and thought of the battlefield losses. They needn't be wary of the vampires, as they were far, _far_ away from the town hall, but they remained quiet and guarded all the same.

(It had been silent in that breath before the shot, when Guren thought he was going to die by Shinya's hands.)

Guren sighed and pressed his fingertips to his pulsing temple. He hadn't been able to escape the burning headache from Shinya's little light show.

 _What the hell did that idiot do to me?_

 _Maybe I'm just not used to the silence._

He lethargically flicked an abandoned pencil, sending it rolling across the dusty desk. It picked up speed before falling off the edge. Guren watched it disappear with narrowed expression, waiting to hear it hit the ground. He relished the tiny sound.

He sighed a bit louder, trying to fill up the empty office with more sound.

A slow, hesitant knock sounded at the door. Guren frowned. He once had been able to tell who wanted his attention from the knock.

 _Scratch that—no one actually ever knocked. They just barged in. Yuu, Norito, Shin—_ Guren cut himself off with a shake of the head.

Now everyone seemed to be in the business of knocking softly.

The knock sounded again, a little bit louder. He pulled himself out of the hard metal chair and shuffled towards the door. He yanked it back, not entirely surprised to see Shinoa's entire squad peering back at him.

"What the hell do you brats want?"

He couldn't even muster up a proper snarl.

"I… _we_ …" Shinoa hesitated before pursing her lips in a thoughtful pucker. She fell uncharacteristically silent, further proving to Guren that everything was fucked up beyond repair.

"Tell us what happened with the vampires," Yuu supplied bluntly, crossing his arms and leveling Guren with a firm stare.

"Tch," Guren offered a humorless snort before moving to shut the door.

 _Like I would tell them._

A pale hand darted out and caught the door. Shinoa retracted her trembling fingers quickly, almost as if the aged wood had burned her. Still, the impulsive action startled Guren enough for him to pause mid-slam.

He blinked down at her, slowly processing what had just happened.

"I want to know what happened to Nii-san." Shinoa adverted her gaze, studying the space behind Guren's right hip.

His harsh scowl softened as his shoulders drooped. He glanced from Shinoa to the other children surrounding her, each watching Guren with mixed expressions of unease and worry. Even if they didn't know Shinya well, they still realized how important he was to the mission and to Guren.

 _No…I take that back,_ Guren countered, his gaze shifting from Yoichi's pale, tooth-snared lip to Shinoa's parted frown. She looked so conflicted in that moment that it was hard to believe she was the same confident, snarky Hiiragi princess.

Guren felt a guilty twist in his stomach.

 _It makes sense that she's worried about Shinya. After all, he was the only_ Hiiragi _that seemed to give a damn about her. They're still family, even in something as twisted as that one._

 _And he was Yoichi's mentor. He deserves to know too. At least, maybe he can learn something from that idiot._

Guren sighed before running a hand through his inky hair.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

 _Maybe I owe them that._

…

Shinya sucked in a sharp breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he forced his pulsing body to remain still.

 _It would have been less painful if they just left me alone. Their attempts to "fix" me will end up making things worse._

He bit down on his lip hard enough to taste iron as fire laced up and down his gut.

"Hmmm…. I'm not sure if you should have done that."

The noble's two protectors hovered over Shinya's prone form, poking and scratching at his exposed injury. They treated him like an inanimate dissection dummy.

"Ahaha, oops!"

 _I'm sure that was accidental,_ Shinya added dryly as he cracked his eyes open. The blue haired vampire— _Chess_ , he corrected again—watched the edges of his abdominal wound dribble over with a malicious glee. The tip of her sharpened nail glistened with his blood.

 _No… I'm still not safe as a prisoner either._

A single snap in self-control was all that was necessary for his untimely death.

He rolled his eyes back to the ceiling, trying and failing to locate where he was. When he had awakened after his embarrassing lapse of consciousness, Crowley had disappeared, leaving Shinya in the company of his two female companions. They had managed to messily bind his superficial chest injury with cloth without disturbing him.

However, their superhuman strength translated poorly into more complex healing and Shinya was convinced that their curious prodding around his stab wound had only managed to bruise his ribs more.

"Wooaaah. I forgot how much humans bleed!"

"Doubtful. You've had your fair share," the blonde countered with a playful tick of her eyebrows. "You've broken the rules _several_ times."

Chess rolled her eyes, rubbing at the incriminating smudge of crimson on her upper lip.

"Maau… I'm _starving_ though. Lord Crowley said we just have to keep him alive for a little bit longer, right?"

"I suppose so. I'm not sure what Lord Ferid could want with a dying human." She nudged Shinya with a heel tip, her blonde eyebrow hoisted with an unimpressed frown.

"I still don't trust him. He's too sneaky."

Shinya's eyelids fluttered as he kept his weakening glare fixed on the ceiling. Either they didn't notice he was awake or they simply didn't bother to care.

Chess shrugged and turned her attention back to Shinya.

"Can we just shove something in there to stop the bleeding? What about his glove?"

 _Oh god. They're going to kill me._

"That probably won't work, dear. It might absorb more of the blood."

" _Awww_! Taking care of livestock is _hard_."

Shinya had a feeling if his care was left entirely up to Chess, he would have died hours ago. The blonde vampire— _I think they called her Horn—_ was less enthusiastic about tending to his wounds, but she seemed far more knowledgeable about human anatomy.

 _There's bound to be internal bleeding. It's only a matter of time befo—_

Shinya broke off at the sound of a light knock. Immediately Chess jumped up and rushed towards the door, yanking the heavy wood open. Horn stepped delicately away from Shinya and bobbed her head in respect.

"Lord Ferid."

 _Ferid Bathory. He wasn't one of the targets, but Guren knew of him from the Shinjuku assault._

 _That can't be good._

Shinya craned his neck, lifting his head barely off the floor to catch a sight of the newest arrival. He pushed through the door first, tossing a glossy silver strand over his shoulder. Crowley trailed after him, his crimson eyes narrowed in amused suspicion.

"I heard from two guards that five nobles were killed today in Nagoya. They suspect humans were the cause."

"Hmm?" Ferid tilted his head in Crowley's direction; one of his silver eyebrows flicked upwards in feigned interest. "That's unfortunate. Weren't you in Nagoya earlier today?"

" _Precisely._ We were attacked by humans only a few hours ago." Crowley paused and amended his statement. "Rather, we were targeted by a rather ineffective and small group of livestock. I'm curious as to how they knew we were in Nagoya."

"Oh?"

"Things certainly do get more exciting when you're pulling the strings. Would you mind sharing why?"

Ferid laughed, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "You give me too much credit. I hardly know what you're talking about." He paused and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he considered his next statement.

"Still, it sounds as if you were _afraid_ of those humans."

"Hardly. There were only two." Crowley tapped his chin twice with a contemplative pucker. "It _was_ strange though—normally humans aren't so bold. The sheep tend to stick to their flocks and attack en masse, but these two were different."

"Different?" Ferid's mirthful expression faded into a more serious frown.

"They had tricks up their sleeves."

His playful, openmouthed grin returned, almost as if it had never disappeared in the first place. "How thrilling! Well, it must have been very amusing for you then!"

Crowley mirrored the expression with a faint smile of his own. "Yeah… It was quite fun. I forgot how stupid humans become when they are left to run wild. They were so consumed by their infantile bickering that they revealed their plan and ranks."

"Ranks?"

"One was the commander of the mission. That one," Crowley nodded towards Shinya, acknowledging him for the first time since entering the room, "claims to be a Hiiragi."

Ferid's crimson eyes dropped to Shinya, lying perfectly still on the cold floor. He casually sauntered to Shinya's side, staring down at him before licking his lips.

"Aww, a present for me? You shouldn't have." He tilted his head, studying Shinya's exposed injury and the pallor of his sweat-beaded face. "I thought he was just a discarded snack."

"No, he's still alive for the moment."

"I assume you couldn't capture the other one?" Instead of answering, Crowley held up a finger and moved towards the desk. Ferid trailed after him, daintily stepping over Shinya.

"Also, you mentioned tricks," he continued. "What _kind_ of tricks? It must have been _very_ clever to have fooled you."

Shinya (who, by this point, was starting to become frustrated with being completely ignored, but he supposed that was the tragic fate of livestock) strained to see what the vampires were looking at, though he had his suspicions.

"More unexpected than clever. Somehow, the humans have gotten their dirty hands on stronger weapons. Even since that little incident in Shinjuku, I've noticed a change. This," Crowley gestured over Byakkomaru, "produced some sort of blue entity that managed to carry the commander away."

Goosebumps rose on his exposed skin and Shinya could feel a cold stare boring into the side of his head. His gaze shifted towards Ferid, confirming that the noble was indeed watching him closely.

"Hmmm… Fascinating. Did it look a bit like an animal running away?"

Shinya's gut clenched. _Crap… He knows something. He remembers._ Even though he had long since resigned himself to a painful, inevitable death by the vampires' hands, Shinya still hated how hard it was to breathe.

"Uh… yeah." There was a beat of silence before Crowley's face broke out into coy smile. "Not that _you_ would know anything about it, but _why_ is that so fascinating?"

"Oh… nothing more than a silly observation! Right after the livestock's creepy experiment appeared, a sniper shot at me with a similar weapon. If I remember correctly, it was to save the commander. For the commander to be saved twice—" Ferid broke off with a dismissive shrug and a casual roll of the eyes.

"No matter. It's probably just a coincidence."

"I didn't think you believed in those," Crowley countered, maintaining his knowing simper.

"I don't."

…

"And that's when the damn ido—err, I mean Shinya—shot me with his Cursed Gear."

Guren struggled to explain what had happened. Even though he had experienced Shinya's experiment first hand, he still couldn't describe it properly. He gestured unhelpfully as he told the story, trying to illustrate the attack events as simply as possible to Shinoa's squad.

 _Hell, if_ I _don't even know what went on, how could I even explain it for them?_

He could tell from their confused, concerned expressions that most of them didn't fully understand the mechanisms of Guren's escape, though they recognized the dangers involved.

Guren surveyed their reactions again, noting with mild surprise the exception to his original observation.

 _Wait—Yoichi looks like he understands._ Guren's gaze snapped back to the kid's pale face and wide eyes. _Makes sense, I guess. Shinya's probably taught him enough to know how risky it is to shoot someone_ pointblank _. Even Yuu should have figured that part out, but maybe they still haven't gotten it yet._

He sighed before describing the final, hardest part of the battle. He skipped most of the finer details and instead offered them a shortened, fact-based version.

"His demon grabbed me and then there was a rush of motion or heat or whatever it was. Anyway, the next thing I knew, I was outside of the town hall and some brat was screaming in my ear."

Guren crossed back to his desk and sat down. "I don't know what Shinya did, but he sent me away from those bloodsuckers. I can't tell you much more than that," he added in a softer voice.

There was a beat of silence as Shinoa's squad digested the story. Now that they knew what had happened in the town hall, their confusion shifted into a multitude of muted expressions. Shinoa stared forward blankly; her lips were pressed into a firm slash. Kimizuki and Mitsuba flanked her on each side as somber bookends. Yuu glared at the ground, his arms crossed and tucked close to his chest.

Strangely, Yoichi appeared to be the only teen who showed any sort of strong emotion. He stood away from the others, fingers curled into trembling fists. Guren wasn't particularly surprised; the kid always seemed on the verge of tears even on a _good_ day.

After another moment, Shinoa spoke.

"Thank you, Guren-san…" He nodded and bent his head back towards his paper work. There was the soft sound of shuffling and fading footsteps. Guren shook his head before glancing up, expecting to see an empty room.

"Ehh? You're still here?"

Yoichi jumped before turning his wide gaze towards Guren.

"I…uh…"

Guren frowned at the brightness rimming Yoichi's eyes. _This must have shaken him up more than I thought._ He suppressed the urge to kick him out of the room by force.

 _How the hell am I supposed to cheer the kid up?_

"Don't wo—"

"I'm so sorry!" Yoichi blurted the words and dropped his upper body into a sharp bow.

Guren sat back in his chair, his brows rising in confusion. _What the fuck?_

"This is my fault! I'm sorr—"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's my fault that Shinya-san got captured," Yoichi responded, his voice muffled and directed towards the ground. "As a fellow sniper, I—"

Guren's scrunched forehead relaxed as he realized what he meant. _Oh._ That's _why he looked so guilty. He blames himself for not killing the noble before Shinya and I went in._

"Oi, Yoichi," Guren interrupted in his softest voice. He wasn't sure how to play parent, but he couldn't have the kid beating himself up for something he didn't do. "Look at me."

He slowly straightened up, watching Guren cautiously.

"This isn't your fault. Shinya wouldn't even have been able to kill that noble with a single shot. He was too strong, even for us. Do you understand what I'm saying? It couldn't have been helped."

He digested Guren's words with a slow blink before shaking his head once, then twice.

"No, that isn't it. I'm talking about that thing that Shinya-san did with his Cursed Gear." Yoichi took a deep breath, almost as if he were preparing for his final confession.

"During one of our training missions last month, Shinya-san noticed that Gekkōin—er, my demon—moved some debris to conserve energy. He asked me how I did it and I told him and then he told me not to tell you and to keep it a secre—"

"Woah, woah… Slow _down!"_ Guren waved his hands, trying to stop the flow of words from Yoichi's mouth. _I shouldn't have taken the silence for granted; I only caught about half of that._

"What does this have to do with the nobles?"

"I was the one who helped Shinya-san figure out how to move things with the Cursed Gear."

 _"What?"_ Guren froze, pinning the trembling kid with an openmouthed frown.

"Shinya-san made me promise not to tell you! He said it would be a surprise!" Yoichi rushed, his voice sounding dangerously high and squeaky. "I didn't know what he was planning, but when you described what he did to save you from the nobles, well…" Yoichi swallowed and dropped his gaze. "I had told him earlier that one could learn to move bigger things than trash bins. It's my fault that this happened."

Guren's shoulders dropped and a weary gentleness replaced his startled expression.

 _So… I was right about what Shinya had been up to for all those weeks. Still, it isn't the kid's fault that Shinya came up with that plan._

He swallowed thickly and pressed a tentative palm to his injured shoulder.

 _Things would have been a lot different though if he hadn't done that. Shinya would be the one trying to pick up the pieces instead of me._

"Hey, Yoichi. Listen to me," Guren started softly. Yoichi slowly turned his head, his pale lip trapped between his teeth.

"This isn't your fault. Whatever Shinya's plan was, he figured it out on his own." Guren pinched his nose with a breathy exhale. "He would have done something like that anyway, knowing him."

 _I would have done the same thing._

"You aren't to blame for what happened. Can you hear what I'm saying?"

There was a beat of silence as Yoichi processed his words.

"I…ye-es… I understand."

He still slouched and his breaths were a bit too harsh, but the guilt wasn't nearly as crushing as it had been.

Guren dismissed him with a nod and strained smile. He turned back to his work the moment Yoichi's back disappeared through the threshold. However, the kid's words kept buzzing through his mind and he could no longer muster up enough willpower to concentrate on Kureto's meticulous battle plans.

He braced the back of his neck with his entwined fingers before leaning back in his chair.

 _What am I supposed to do now?_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!** Let me know what you think! Hopefully they all sounded pretty in character!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Is anyone still out there?

Also, side note. I realized in this AU that the members of the Narumi squad are okay, since Guren and the others fled before they encountered the vampires. Not sure what to do with that information, but wow. What a time to be alive.

* * *

He still wasn't entirely sure if vampires needed to breathe like humans, but Mika felt like his chest was on fire, like he couldn't get enough air. The female soldier's words echoed in his mind, propelling each of his footsteps as he raced towards Yuu-chan. He had to get to the city hall building before anyone else. That's where the other humans were gathering. If he could get there first—

Mika skidded to a stop, an uneasy scowl immediately taking over his features. He was there, but there were no signs of life anywhere around him. Huddled human corpses and discarded weapons, but no Yuu-chan. He took a hesitant sniff and recoiled at the cloying scent of human blood, tainted with fear. He could also smell the bitter ashes of vampires, not yet scattered by the wind. They had been here, but for how long, he couldn't tell.

He had been so close to finding Yuu-chan again, but the humans' quick retreat from the city hall building has disrupted his plans. Mika suppressed the urge to scream. Instead, he savagely kicked at an abandoned car, sending it skittering a few meters away.

"Ooooh, Mika~! What a temper!"

He felt his mood darken at the friendly greeting behind him.

"I'm glad we caught you! All the humans fled like the timid sheep they are. We're to report back to base for a briefing."

Mika's shoulders slumped. "They're gone?"

 _Did I miss my chance to find Yuu-chan? Again?_

Lacus swiped at his lips with the back of a hand. "Yep. Too bad though. All the hostages are gone too. No one knows where they went."

Mika nodded stiffly. Perhaps all was not lost. Perhaps he could get a clue about their whereabouts, catch something that no one else did. He scanned the empty crosses in front of the city hall building, noting how jaggedly the ropes had been cut. Some of the wooden restraints were destroyed completely with the knots still intact.

Whoever freed the prisoners knew they didn't have much time.

His gaze landed on a pile of shattered glass. He followed the reverse trajectory, reaching an empty window frame on the third floor. He dropped his eyes back to the glass, surprised by the lack of blood. Humans were weak creatures. A fall like that should have caused severe damage.

Lacus sidled up next to Mika, nodding knowingly at the glass. "Mmmm. Would you believe some of the livestock tried to kill Lord Crowley? This is why we have to keep them in line, otherwise they do stupid things."

René approached them, arms folded tightly across his chest. He eyed the broken window and shredded restraints with less enthusiasm. "I heard one of the commanders was captured. They argued about rank in front of Lord Crowley, blowing their cover." With his narrowed eye and curled lip, Mika could gauge a fairly accurate idea of René's opinion on human intelligence.

"Whaaa? Seriously?" Lacus pushed his cheeks together while glancing sideways at Mika. "Human stupidity knows no bounds, huh, Mika?"

 _A captured commander? Would he know where Yuu-chan is?_

"What will happen to the prisoner?"

René frowned, recounting the brief conversation. He had passed Chess on the way to the airport. She had straggled behind her lord, claiming she was waiting for the humans to return, but René had noticed the dried crimson staining her lips. A perfect opportunity for a quick snack.

"Horn and Lord Crowley took him to Lord Ferid."

Lacus wrinkled his nose at the name. " _Him?_ Then that human is as good as dead. Ferid won't even drain him either." He offered his comrades a mock pout. "What a waste of good blood."

Mika pursed his lips, silently agreeing with Lacus. He knew the twisted games Ferid liked to play, how _rough_ they tended to get if the human ceased to be amusing or useful.

 _He said these humans were arguing and let slip their rank. If the prisoner is as cowardly or foolish as that female soldier, he might reveal Yuu-chan's location. I can't let Ferid and the others know first._

Without another word, Mika turned sharply and stalked towards the airport. He needed to get to their compound immediately. First, he would see what the prisoner knew. Then, he would kill him.

 _No one_ could find out where Yuu-chan was.

* * *

They met in secret, huddled around a small fire as they discussed the problem looming over their heads. Yuu was the one to have called the meeting, though it was Kimizuki with an exasperated sigh who had pulled them away from prying ears.

Even then, Yuu's shrill voice destroyed any semblance of privacy.

"This is fucked up," he announced loud enough to cause several heads to turn towards him. Kimizuki pinched the bridge of his nose while Mitsuba threw a nervous glance at their audience.

" _Yuu!"_ she hissed, shoving a finger at his chest. "Not so loud!"

His words could have easily been reported to Guren as insubordination, but the other soldiers turned away. Either they agreed with his statement or they didn't have the energy to chastise a loudmouth brat.

"Well it _is,"_ Yuu insisted, brushing away Mitsuba's finger while crossing his arms. "This _sucks."_

"That may be, but keep it down!" Kimizuki had joined Mitsuba's side, his temper flaring with Yuu's increased volume.

" _Tch_." Yuu rolled his eyes. "Your mood is about as shitty as Guren's."

They fell silent for a moment. Kimizuki cleared his throat, but waited another moment before speaking.

"The Major General is strong. I'm sure he could find a way to escape."

There had been many casualties that day, but they all knew which one had hurt their commander the most. His excuse, that they were delaying the rendezvous with Kureto Hiiragi's forces to take stock of their wounded, was a flimsy, hopeful lie. They all knew—at least, the few who had heard about Shinya's sacrifice—that Guren was stalling in case Shinya managed to catch up.

Mitsuba nodded, encouraged. "Yeah, my sister used to complain about him and Lieutenant Colonel Guren in high school, how they were always troublemakers for the Lieutenant General"

"Shinya-san's injuries were severe," Shinoa interrupted, her voice flat and devoid of the usual snark or bounce. "That's what he told me. There's no chance for escape. At least, not alone."

Yuu looked across the group, noting that Shinoa was frowning into the fire, hunched over and balanced on the flats of her feet. Both she and Yoichi had spoken to Guren privately after he explained what happened. He now knew what Shinoa had asked him, but he hadn't thought to ask Yoichi.

"That reminds me—you gonna tell us what you and Guren talked about, Yoichi?"

No response.

"Hey, Yoichi! Did you hear me?" Yuu prodded his friend's side with an elbow. Yoichi startled at the contact before turning his unfocused gaze on Yuu.

"H-huh?"

"I asked if you were listening."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm listening."

Yuu wrinkled his nose. Yoichi's eyes were still too wide, irises darting to the side each time Yuu maintained eye contact too long. He decided to abandon the question.

"This is fucked up," he repeated. "I thought _we_ were the ones who were supposed to kill the vampires. Not the other way around."

Yoichi blinked, half wondering when Yuu had fallen under the assumption that they were ever the ones on top. He looked at the various squads, each surrounding their own fire. Few were fortunate enough to be complete like theirs. Most groups had unnatural gaps in their circles, almost as if the surviving members weren't sure how to fill those empty spaces.

Yes, very few of the groups where still together. Makoto Narumi's squad conversed several meters away from them. He wondered if they were experiencing the same survivor's guilt that Yoichi currently felt.

 _You saved the hostages._

For once, Gekkōin's voice was soft. Perhaps the demon genuinely pitied Yoichi. Perhaps it was a ploy, meant to goad him further into hopelessness.

 _We couldn't save everyone._

He looked back at his teammates. How easily could Shinoa be replaced by emptiness? How quickly Mitsuba's seat be vacant? They were lucky that they escaped from the nobles, no thanks to Yoichi's failed attempt to distract them.

Gekkōin almost sounded amused, which would have worried Yoichi under different circumstances. _You sound like that dark-haired idiot. The loud one._

 _Yuu?_

 _Yeah, sure, that guy. Point is, you can't save everyone. Not the way you are now. Not without my help._

Yoichi's expression blanked and he turned away from his friends. His demon had a point, as much as he loathed to admit. Yoichi knew this was what Gekkōin wanted, coaxing him into a false sense of camaraderie.

He peeked back at his squad mates, absorbing Kimizuki's stern frown, Yuu's fiery glare, Mitsuba's pursed lips, and Shinoa's side-long stare. Despite the straining circumstances, they were a familiarity that Yoichi couldn't bear to lose. If giving into Gekkōin's pressure was all he needed to save his team, maybe he would.

After all, Shinya-san had set the example, saving his friend at his own peril.

Yoichi was nothing, if not a dedicated student.

* * *

He had managed to pull himself into a less humiliating position, but that was a small victory. He even tried to stain the desk he was slouched against with his own blood, but belatedly realized that it might add to the vampires' twisted aesthetic.

Dismissing Byakkomaru had also been a small victory. He felt naked and defenseless without his rifle nearby, but there wasn't a point to fighting anymore. Reunited with his demon, he could feel his skin stretch and his injuries mend, but it was too little too late.

Byakkomaru purred in his mind, twisting and kneading his consciousness like a cat curling up for a nap. He wasn't sure how long it would take for his demon to recover from their daring attempt to save Guren. It had been draining on both of them and he supposed he should be grateful for Byakkomaru's willingness to comply with Shinya's demands.

 _I never had the chance to thank you. You saved Guren._

 _I didn't do it for him. I was fallowing orders. Look where we are now._

 _Thank you, Byakko-chan._

A deep rumble and another swell of heaviness. Shinya closed his eyes and leaned against the desk. His hands cupped his abdominal injury, the pressure causing the warm blood to seep through the gaps, but his fingers still felt cold. He tried to flex them and frowned at the delayed response.

 _If I can't even move my fingers, how the hell am I going to get out of here?_

He knew what the inevitable answer was: he _wasn't_ going to escape. He wasn't going to see Guren again. He wasn't going to feel the sugary bliss of strawberry jam across his lips again.

A weak smile flickered on his lips. If Guren knew how close he had been to being outranked by strawberry jam, he would have killed Shinya himself.

 _Jam… Sticky and red…._

Shinya opened his eyes and forced himself to blink repeatedly until his vision was a little less blurry. He had to stay alert, even if there was no one around. He didn't know when the vampires would return, if they even still remembered that he was here. Bleeding out all over their damn rug.

He tried to chuckle, to pump his smile into a more convincing bravado, but his tongue felt too heavy, his throat parched. There was a shift in his peripheral vision and he passed it off to another _lovely_ symptom of his body shutting down on him.

The shadow loomed closer and a face materialized, hovering a few feet in front of Shinya.

"Tch. Are you even alive?"

* * *

Mika wasn't sure what to expect. Finding the human wasn't difficult. He had to follow the scent of blood. Breaking into a noble's office wasn't difficult either. It was a skill Ferid had stressed he learned quickly upon awaking as his little vampire spy.

 _Doubt he ever thought it would turn on him._ He allowed himself a rare moment of satisfied pleasure before pausing, hand gripping the door handle.

 _Unless he means for me to be here. Why else would he want a human prisoner?_

Mika shook his head and pushed the door open. Whatever Ferid had planned, it didn't matter to Mika as long as he got the information he needed first. Although he could smell the human's blood from the hallway, the thick scent intensified when he stepped into the room. He swallowed, urging his trembling fingers to still. How long had it been since he had last fed? It was the last time he saw Krul, when she instructed him to find Yuu-chan.

He wrinkled his nose and exhaled shallowly through his mouth. His throat burned, _ached_ , for blood. He could feel the thirst radiating through his chest and he stood awkwardly by the door until he could control himself.

Mika could have stood there for hours and not have disturbed the human prisoner. He was older and pale-faced, propped against Ferid's desk with a grimace. Mika moved cautiously towards the human, but received no reaction. The man's unfocused eyes stared ahead at the wall across from them.

Mika's frown deepened as he bent down to inspect the human prisoner.

"Tch. Are you even alive?"

The human's gaze snapped back to Mika, fast enough to cause him to take a reflexive step backwards. A sneer formed on the human's face and he jerked his head away.

"Are you the captured human from the attack on the city hall?"

"Here to finish the job, bloodsucker?" There was a venom in the man's voice, but it was weak. Tempered by hoarseness from pain and exhaustion.

Mika's gaze dropped and passed over the shallow wounds on the man's torso before landing on his deeper injury.

"You're going to die."

Instead of reacting to his blunt words, the human's face closed off. His lips clamped shut and his gaze shifted to look over Mika's shoulder. He was reminded of René's complaint about humans and their suicidal bravery.

"Before you die, I need you to tell me where the other soliders are going."

"Why should I tell you?" The man's gaze had flicked back to Mika's face, but the eyes were losing focus.

Mika surprised the urge to curse or stab something. He didn't have time for this and neither did the human.

 _He'll be dead before he can tell me. No good._

Mika opened his mouth to growl a more painful ultimatum, but the man's expression had shifted. His silver brows furrowed with some incomprehensible emotion and his chest heaved sharply. He struggled to sit up, leaning away from the desk.

 _Dammit! If he keeps moving, he's going to be dead in minutes._

"V- _uck-_ vampire with blue eyes." Mika's frown deepened as the man lapsed into a shallow, wet coughing fit. "What's y- _uck_ -your name?" He was now struggling to breathe, each gasping word bringing a fleck of crimson to his pale lips.

Mika hesitated, unsure why he was about indulge the wishes of a dying human. "Mikaela." Mika paused and added his last name, the surname coming out almost like an afterthought.

The human nodded and leaned back, his lips tugging in a smile. A smile like he knew something Mika didn't.

"Thought so," he murmured. "Friend of Yuu-kun's."

Mika jerked back, as if he had been stung. What did the human mean? That he was a friend of Yuu-chan? Or that he knew who Mika was?

He wasn't going to get an answer with the prisoner bleeding to death.

 _Damn!_

Mika stood up and darted from the room, shooting a glare at the human before slipping through the door.

* * *

Shinya wasn't sure what he was trying for at this point. He wasn't even sure if he was in complete control of his own anemic mind. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he was still alive or if this was a terrible death illusion caused by his demon.

Regardless, a blue-eyed vampire was the last image he expected to see in the moments before death.

 _Blue eyes, huh? Can't be common for them. The only one I remember hearing about was Yuu-kun's friend._ Neither Guren nor Yuu had spoken to him about the subject, but he had overheard Shinoa talking about it to her squad.

 _Mika, right? That's what they called him._

Mikaela Hyakuya. One of the seraph children that his sister had destroyed the world for. Blond hair and blue eyes. The vampire that had run towards Yuu instead of fleeing when his demonic side rampaged.

He watched the vampire disappear and he exhaled.

 _So much for catching up._

Shinya allowed his eyes to drift closed. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the creak of the door caused him to perk up again. Had it been seconds? Minutes? Time had lost its meaning now.

"Back again?" He could feel his energy dwindling, but his curiosity was peaked, especially after Mikaela's reaction to his last statement. The fact that he had returned, clutching something tightly under his arm, made him similarly interested. He could feel Byakkomaru shifting, providing a final burst of alertness.

"What's your blood type?"

Whatever Shinya was expecting—a melodramatic question, some blustery threats—that wasn't it.

"Ehh?"

He supposed he had an excuse, fatally bleeding out on a goddamn vampire rug, but it was a pretty pathetic response nonetheless.

"Your blood type. What is it?"

"What? Only like certain flavors?"

 _There. That was better._ Also, judging from the vampire's murderous expression, his wit was not appreciated.

He relented with a sigh. "It's type B."

Mikaela nodded before rooting through the bag. He eyed Shinya's major wound before unwrapping a small foil package.

"Hold still." The words held no warmth. They were clinical and mechanical.

"Wait—what is _ahh, fuck!"_ Shinya inhaled, smothering a second string of curses with mashed lips. His back arched as Mikaela shoved the contents of the package in his open wound. Then, as sharp as the pain had been, it was gone. He could feel the vampire's fingers rooting around, adjusting the position of the object, but there was no pain. Only a detached sensation, as if Shinya were watching it being done to someone else.

"What…what the hell was that?" Shinya panted, resisting every urge in his body to not shove the vampire away. He felt a chill spreading along his abdomen, but it wasn't the same foreboding iciness from earlier.

Mikaela pulled his hand back, his white sleeves stained with blood. "It's a temporary sedative and blood infusion used to keep prisoners alive for questioning. Vampires sometimes get overexcited and humans are very," he paused, gripping his opposing arm with his clean hand, "fragile."

"That's not going to turn me into a damn bloodsucker, is it?"

Mikaela frowned at the package and for a terrifying, drop-gut moment, Shinya wasn't sure _how_ he'd respond. "I don't think so." He paused, considering his next words. "It isn't intended to save humans. Just prolong the inevitable."

Shinya leaned back against the desk with a stiff groan. Whatever it was, he could feel it kicking in. The fog in his mind was starting to lift and he could feel Byakkomaru growing stronger. It might not save the average human, but it might be enough to jumpstart the healing process. He could feel his organs shift and wind back together; coupled with the topical numbness, it was a strange sensation.

"So, you're only playing nice to get information out of me?"

Mikaela didn't respond. Shinya took it as an affirmation.

" _Typical._ And what if I say nothing, just like I refused to say anything to the nobles?"

"Then Ferid will torture and kill you."

"Got it. Thanks for the heads up."

"If you tell _me_ where the humans went, then I'll spare your suffering."

Shinya rolled his eyes. He knew he was not in a position to be cheeky, but the creepy vampire medicine was working better than he would have liked to admit. His fingers had stopped shaking and he could finally flex them. He was still dizzy from the severe drop in blood pressure, but he could feel his abdominal wound stitching closed.

"Another great option, but I have a counterproposal." Mikaela narrowed his eyes, waiting for him to go on. "You help me escape and I'll take you to Yuu-kun."

A beat of silence before Mikaela nodded. It wasn't a declaration of friendship by any means, but Shinya took it with a weak smile. It could be just what he needed to get back to the others.

* * *

If he hadn't already been awake, he was certain he would have slept through it. It was a hushed, gravely sound, like metal sliding across pavement. Guren grabbed his sword and scowled out the window, half-expecting to see the leering grin of a vampire.

His shoulders slumped. It was one of the kids, the archer that had taught Shinya how to move objects. He pulled his drawstring back, lips moving in a command. Guren was too far away from him to properly read his lips. He dropped his stance with a shake of the head.

Guren frowned. Maybe he was saying something, maybe it was just a silent quirk he had before each shot.

(Guren really didn't know enough about the kid to know his battle habits. He had tossed that one to Shinya, deciding Shinya deserved to feel the same teacher-student pride he felt when Yuu mastered a difficult skill. He never realized his sentimentality would get them all screwed.)

He could hardly see the details from across the abandoned parking lot and through his grimy office window. Knowing he sure as hell wouldn't get any sleep wondering about it, Guren crept down the stairs and slipped through a side door, as to not alarm the kid. A demon arrow to the gut was one of the few remaining things that could make this whole shitty situation worse.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the warehouse's metal walls, watching the kid with a quirked brow. Yoichi hurried from target to target, fussing over each scratch with murmured curses.

( _Tame ones,_ Guren noted with a relieved nod. It seemed as if he wouldn't have to share some stern words with Shinya.)

(He swallowed and tried to forget what he had just thought.)

Yoichi scowled and took a deep breath before pulling back on his bowstring again. Guren watched him carefully, noticing the trembling of his elbow and how his eyes squeezed shut instead of focusing on the targets.

 _He shouldn't be training in a state like this. He shouldn't be training at all._

Guren opened his mouth to call the kid back in, but Yoichi let go of the drawstring with a satisfied grunt. Four green spears shot from the bow, arching and twisting as they spiraled towards the targets.

Four. One for each of his teammates, surrounding Yoichi in perfect formation.

 _Damn._

Guren exhaled and closed his eyes, hearing the crunch of sliding gravel. He didn't need to watch to figure out the intended results. When Guren reopened his eyes, the targets had disappeared, though there was no sign of destruction. It was as if they had never been there.

Yoichi lowered his bow and smiled weakly. They were gone, safe.

"So, what's the next part of your brilliant plan?"

Yoichi jumped with a squeak, spinning around to gawk at the intruder. "Lieu-lieutenant Colonel!" As soon as he realized it was Guren, he lowered his bow and his gaze.

"Hmm?"

"I-I don't know what you're t-talking about? I'm just pra-practicing."

Guren leveled him with a sharp stare, pulling Yoichi back into reluctant eye contact with him.

"What were you going to do once you sent your team away? Just stand there and let the vampires kill you?"

Yoichi fell silent. Guren could see the wheels in his head spin as he struggled to come up with a convincing excuse. Finding none, Yoichi frowned at the ground and scuffed his shoe at a stray asphalt pebble.

It was enough of an answer for Guren.

"Do you need me to call you an idiot or can you figure it out yourself?"

Yoichi's head jerked up, the fire in his eyes catching Guren temporarily off-guard. "Does that mean Shinya-san is an idiot? For wanting to save his family—for saving _you?"_

He realized how impertinent he sounded and gave a nervous gasp before shriveling up on himself again. Shinya was his mentor and friend, but Guren was his superior officer.

Guren's arched eyebrow rose a little higher. This kid was different from Yuu in so many ways, but they both shared the same suicidal desperation for family. Maybe it was a perquisite to having a demon, possessing such a sentimental weakness they couldn't live without.

"Yes. He was— _is_ an idiot. A huge, _fucking_ idiot."

Yoichi seemed surprised by the blunt answer. Whatever he was expecting—an emphatic denial or reprimand—that wasn't it.

"Do you know how your team is going to feel if you sacrifice yourself like that? Sending them away while you face down an impossible enemy alone? Trust me, you don't want them feeling this way." Guren sighed, running a hand through his hair. This was a damn difficult conversation, but he was glad he left his office. Yoichi needed to hear this before he made the same mistake Shinya did.

"It wouldn't work either. You and I _both_ know that idiot Yuu would turn around and run back to you if you ever tried to pull that stunt on him. It would all be a goddamn waste of your energy."

Yoichi absorbed these words with a slow nod. Guren swore he saw a ghost of a smile on his pale face. He continued, encouraged by the slow progress.

"I sure as hell would have gone back to save Shinya if he hadn't done such a shitty job, throwing me out a third story window. I wonder who gave him _that_ harebrained idea."

Yoichi's smile finally appeared, but his side-eyed glance was tinged with a darkness that unsettled Guren. He wished he had paid more attention to Shinya's comments and observations of the kid. He wasn't sure what else to say.

"Come on," he settled for, deciding that things would be better once they were both inside and away from the empty parking lot. He dropped a hand heavily on Yoichi's shoulder, feeling him stiffen under the pressure. Guren loosened his grip, but Yoichi nodded and turned his head toward the warehouse door as if nothing had happened. He started walking away, the forward motion causing Guren's hand to slip and fall from his shoulder.

Guren frowned, but there wasn't anything he could do. He said his piece and he damn well hoped the kid had listened.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!**  
Betcha didn't expect some burnt cinnamon rolls and the blue-eyed-sass-squad team up.


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